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Why Do They Do It?

“I could never be a politician. I couldn’t bear to be right all the time.” — Sir Peter Ustinov

Why do they do it? Why do they do it?
Why do they stand on their hind legs lying —
Lying and lying and lying and lying —
Even though everyone knows that they do it?
Even though everyone mutters: I knew it!
I knew it, I knew it! I knew they were lying!
Lying when even their mothers aren’t buying.
How can they do it? How can they do it?
Spinning a web til they’re lost in the thick of it,
Topping the knob til we’re all of us sick of it,
Sick of the pack of ’em, spouters and stammerers,
Whining in microphones, preening for cameras,
Bullying, blaming and always denying —
And lying and lying and lying and lying.